Lashings of a Verbal Nature
by lizzybennettdarcy
Summary: She'd never been so ashamed on anyone in her life. He was such an idiot. And you'd better believe she planned on telling him. Felicity's reaction to Oliver's actions in "Birds of Prey". Canon (mostly). Now a multi-chapter story.
1. Lashings

**This is just a quick one-shot to channel my frustration with tonight's episode. Canon-mostly. Enjoy!**

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Felicity's hand shook as the door closed behind her. Her footsteps echoed as she stomped down the stairs in her heels. Heels she should have been out of _hours _ago. Her hands curled into fists as she caught sight of him standing alone in the middle of the training mats. And he wasn't wearing a shirt. Shocker. His mouth opened in question as she advanced on him.

"You are _such _a _Jerk!_" She yelled just moments before her fist collided with the corner of his mouth. Her knuckles cracked against his jaw and she yanked her hand back with a gasp of pain.

"What the hell was that for?" He snapped, raising his fingers to his bleeding lip.

She cradled her right hand with her left as she glared up at him furiously.

"You are such a jerk! I can't even believe you! God damn it, Oliver!" She bit her lip to stop from going into an angry ramble.

"Why did you hit me?" He was confused and angry.

And he was an idiot.

"I just left Roy Harper on my couch at home. You know? Where the kid cried himself to sleep because he broke your sister's heart." Her eyes narrowed dangerously as Oliver made to interrupt her. "Except he didn't just decide to break her heart, did he? Huh, Oliver? No, he had some green Vigilante _Jackass_ convince him that it was the best thing for everyone!"

"Felicity, listen-" He started but was cut off when she poked him hard in the chest.

"You are such a fool. You just broke Roy's heart and I can't believe you would do that to Thea. You know why he _cheated, _Oliver? Because he tried to dump her and she refused. Because they love each other. And she knows he's not okay. She knows he's been lying to her but she loves him anyways. She refused to break up with him because she knows that he _needs _her. So he broke her heart. Because he trusted an idiot. You're the idiot, by the way. In case I wasn't clear earlier. You are the most infuriating _idiot _I've ever known!" She poked him again as her vicious diatribe ended.

He was angry. His eyes were narrowed and his mouth was set in a tight line.

"She's my little sister. And he can't control his anger. I made the right call. It's none of your business, Felicity." He growled.

She let out a humourless laugh. "No, Oliver. It was none of _your _business. It wasn't your call to make."

Her eyes were beginning to sting with unshed tears and she just _knew _that she'd be crying before this was over. Because it wasn't over. Not by a long shot.

"Felicity, just-"

"No! Don't _Felicity _me!" She took a step back and ran a hand through her hair. "It was bad enough when it was just me that your cowardice affected. God damn it, Oliver. You are such a coward."

"Excuse me?" His body was as tense as a bowstring as he stepped into her space. "I am _not _a coward."

She sniffled. "Yes, you are."

"I am not!" He roared. "Wanting to protect my sister makes me a coward?"

"No, Oliver. Being afraid of letting her live because you're afraid of losing her is what makes you a coward." Her jaw clenched as they squared off. "You deciding what's best for the people who love you instead of _letting_ them love you is what makes you a coward. You pushing everyone away makes you a coward. Because you're too afraid of losing anyone else to really love us the way we deserve. That makes you a coward."

"This isn't about you and I!" He snarled with guilty eyes.

"Of course it's not!" She snapped bitingly. "It's never about the two of us. Because you decided a long time ago that you got to make the decisions in my life. You decided that breaking my heart over and over again was better than actually _caring _about me." A tear escaped and she swiped at it quickly. "This isn't about us, because I accepted your decision to continually _hurt _me to save yourself future _possible_ loss. I hate you for it now and then, but I accepted it. Because our mission is more important than getting the guy."

"Felicity, I –" His words were quiet but she cut him off again with a shake of the head.

"This isn't about me, Oliver. This is about you hurting the people around you. How _dare _you make that decision for Thea and Roy? You keep talking about how full of rage Slade was when Shado died. So why would you ask Roy to give up the one person who keeps him whole? Just her name is enough to bring him out of the dark. And you made him give that up. And that makes you not only cowardly, but selfish." Her eyes cut over the makeshift bed that he'd set up for himself and Sara and she snapped. "And just who the hell do you think you are to be doling out relationship advice, anyways?"

His mouth twisted in anger and his eyes swept over the bed as well. "This isn't about me and Sara and-"

"No, of course it isn't. Because your relationship is the picture of healthy isn't it?" She screamed back. "You two live in the past and drown in each other's darkness. That's great. And hey, you spent the whole day trying to curb her murderous instincts. But yeah, you're right. You definitely have the right to tell two people who actually _love _each other not to be together." She leveled him with a withering stare.

"Tell me how you really feel, Felicity." He retorted sarcastically.

"Why would I do that, Oliver?" Her voice lost volume as the tears started to fall. "So you can tell me that you can't be with someone you _care _about again? You've already broken two hearts today, you want to do mine next?" His hand shot out to cup her cheek but she knocked it away. "Or are you going to say something about how much I _mean _to you and how we're partners? What will it be this time, Oliver? Will you let me down gently, whilst still giving me hope? Or will you stomp on my heart like you did to Roy?"

She stepped back and wiped at her cheeks. His jaw was tight and his eyes burned with regret.

"I've never been more ashamed of anyone than I am of you right now, Oliver." She paused as he flinched beneath the verbal lashing. "I've believed in the mission and you from the very beginning. I fought by your side even when you hurt me. I defended you even when you made me cry. But I am so ashamed of you right now. Because you just hurt two of the most important people in your life and you feel no remorse." She raised her chin. "Something to think on, _Ollie_."

She turned on her heel and moved to walk away.

"Don't call me that. You never call me that." He pleaded thickly.

She bit her lip and her steps faltered. "That's who you are, isn't it? If you wanted to be seen as the man who came back from the island, the man who loves his family and his friends, the _hero, _then you should have made a different choice." _You're with the wrong woman._

Silence followed her out of the lair. Tears fell freely as she drove home. She sat outside her apartment for a few moments before she managed to put on a brave face.

She introduced Roy Harper to the wonders of Doctor Who that night. She shared her mint chip ice cream and promised to always be his friend.

She was the friend that he needed. She might not be able to fix Oliver's mistakes tonight. But she'd do her very best.

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**So it's not very happy, but it made me feel a bit better. And I can't be the only one who was frustrated tonight. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Selfish

**So, funny story. I've written all of these Olicity one-shots lately and I'd intended to leave them as one-shots. But the response has been so overwhelming and the readers have been so incredible that I decided to add onto a few of them. I have a couple ideas for 'These Words' but this is part 2 of 'Lashings'. There will be at least one more part to this story. I really wanted to add Oliver's POV to this fic (especially since the readers were so encouraging after my first attempt at his perspective last night). This picks up about a month after the first chapter of 'Lashings.'**

**And thanks to everyone who's read, reviewed, followed and favorited. I haven't had time to respond to each of you yet (because I've been in a writing frenzy, despite all of the final papers that I should be doing instead) but I promise I will.**

**Enjoy!**

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Oliver's skin prickled as he did his best to ignore the rage that he was _barely _suppressing. He bit back a growl as a _giggle _travelled across the room. He forced his way up the salmon ladder for the seventh time that evening but it was doing nothing to help with the anger. He hated nights like these. Nights where the streets were quiet and there was no new threat. Well sometimes he _lived _for nights like these.

But he really, _really _needed to hit someone and his first choice would be a mugger, or maybe a Triad member up to no good.

Instead he's stuck down in the lair trying to work out the frustrations that have been building steadily for weeks now. At this point he'd actually _welcome _a visit from Slade because he was sure he'd beat him. He had too much energy, too much raw anger bubbling within him and absolutely no outlet.

Diggle was spending the night at home with Lyla. And he could hardly blame the man for being unwilling to spar with him when Oliver was so close to losing control.

Sara had decided to spend some time in Coast City with her mother following their breakup.

Slade had disappeared to God knows where to lick the wounds that Roy had handed him for kidnapping Thea. He'd come back. And he'd likely be deadlier than ever. But he wasn't here now.

Which left him with Felicity and Roy. Felicity would never be an option for sparring, even _if _he was feeling in control.

And Roy was too busy _flirting _with the blond to be of any use to him. Oliver was choosing to ignore the part of him that wanted to spar with him _because _he was flirting with Felicity.

Their relationship had snuck up on him. Neither of them had spoken to him for days following Roy's breakup with Thea. Excluding of course the night that Felicity took him to task for just about every mistake he'd ever made and then some.

"I'll see you at home, Liss." Roy called before moving loudly up the stairs and walking out of the lair.

Oliver's jaw cracked as his teeth clamped shut. A roar escaped his lips as he began his _ninth _ascent up the salmon ladder. He glared at Felicity even as she stared up at him in surprise. Her head tilted to the side and her lips parted for a moment as she held his gaze.

"Are you alright?" She asked finally.

A bitter laugh fell from his lips as he swung upside down to begin a gruelling set of sit ups. She swung in and out of his vision as he pulled himself up and down. Her blue eyes were narrowed but she said nothing, waiting for an answer.

He ignored her, intent on burying the angry tirade that was threatening to burst out of him in a Felicity-like babble. He swung around on the bar so that he was hanging down and started a set of pull ups. His body was aching but his mind was still spinning out of control.

"Oliver, what is your problem?" She demanded, standing from her chair.

He closed his eyes as her heels clicked along the floor until she was standing on the mat just in front of him. He took a deep breath in through his nose as he tried to tamp down on the snarls of fury banging around inside his chest.

"_Hello_? Earth to Oliver!" She snarked.

His eyes flew open and he dropped to his feet in front of her. Hostility rolled off of him as he stalked forwards. Her blue eyes widened and she took a step back

"You want to know what my problem is?" He yelled, knuckles popping as his fists clenched at his sides.

"Yes!" She threw back with narrowed eyes. "You've been _pouting _for weeks and working yourself to the bone and just being a total _ass _to everyone around you."

"I have _not _been pouting!" He growled.

She snorted. "Yes. You. Have."

"Felicity." He did his best to pour every ounce of warning into the one word.

And she promptly ignored him.

"Don't Felicity me, Oliver Queen. What the hell is going on with you?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to rein himself in. Diggle wasn't here to referee and things were probably _one _snarky comment from Felicity from getting hideous. He took a deep breath in and-

"Oliver, I swear to God. You're actually such a brat." She muttered.

Comment number one. He felt his control slipping like sand through his fingers. "Felicity, stop."

"No! You stop. Stop being such a pain in the ass and tell me what your problem is. Because I'm about 3 seconds away from taking a holiday to get away from your broody drama and-"

"Jesus Christ, Felicity!" He roared. "You want to know what my problem is? You really want to know?"

She nodded and held her position. He stepped into her space so that their bodies were flush.

"My problem is that I'm sick of watching you and your boyfriend mooning over each other instead of doing your damn work!" He snapped. Her eyes rounded in what looked like confusion but he was on a roll now. "Can't the two of you keep that shit at home? You're already living together. He sure moved on fast. So much for loving my sister. And another –"

"Hold on!" She interrupted, using her loud voice. "What the hell are you talking about? Me and my boyfriend? Living together? Thea? I'm so con-"

"Don't play dumb, Felicity. We both know you're too smart for that." His tone was cold, in perfect contrast with the fiery rage that was burning him from the inside out. "He's a little young for you, don't you think? 22 years old."

"Don't be a dick, Oliver. What are you even talking about? Me and Roy? Our relationship is none of your damn business. Not that –"

"Of course it's my business!" He bellowed, stepping even further into her. Their chests heaved in tandem. "You think I sacrificed a future with you so that you could end up with someone even more dangerous than me? Are you serious?" He ran a hand through his hair and glared down at her. Her eyes were wide and she took a half-step back in surprise. "Only _you_ would find the one guy in your life more screwed up than I am. The only guy more dangerous. What the hell is wrong with you?"

A growl tore itself from her throat and she jabbed a finger against his sweaty chest. "More screwed up than you? Hate to break it to you, _Oliver, _but _no one _is more screwed up than you!"

She spun on her heel and stormed away from him. His mouth opened and his eyes narrowed at her retreating back. He should let her go. He knew that. He'd said too much, and even if she hadn't responded to his words, he'd said them and now he couldn't take them back.

But he'd just admitted to choosing not to be with her, and he'd more than implied that he wanted to be.

And she was walking away. And that _really _pissed him off.

"Where do you think you're going? We're not finished here." He yelled after her, moving quickly to cut off her escape.

He stepped in front of her and folded his arms across his chest.

"I'm going home, Dick." She threw back, adjusting her purse on her shoulder. "You may not be done, but _I _am."

"To _Roy_?" He asked with a sneer.

He realised her intentions but allowed her to punch him in the chest anyways.

"Stop saying his name like that! You're the reason he's living with me. You're the one who broke his heart, who made him break Thea's! We aren't dating you Jackass! We're friends." She snapped, slapping his skin in between words, to punctuate the point. "He's living with me because he lived with Thea before. You think he wants to spend every waking minute in the home that he shared with her? Are you _stupid_? Because you must be to think that he could ever love someone the way he loves Thea. You know? The one he almost died fighting Slade for? He's living with me because _someone _forgot that he might need a friend to go through all of this with. _Someone _decided that taking away the one thing that keeps him _Roy _was for the best. So _I've _been trying to help him."

Oliver deflated and blew out a long breath. Well _that _wasn't what he was expecting.

"You're an idiot." She told him petulantly. And like always, she was right.

"I just-" He paused. He wasn't even sure what to say at this point. He'd built this whole thing up in his head for the past month and he'd reached his breaking point. And he'd been wrong about the whole thing.

Because Felicity wouldn't flaunt a relationship with _anyone _in his face. And she'd certainly never do it in the lair. Not the way that he'd done it with Sara.

"You just what, Oliver? You just thought that you had the right to be moody and rude for the past few weeks because maybe I was dating someone? You just thought that treating your protégé like a wild animal who had stolen your favorite toy was okay?" Her words were biting and each of them left a mark.

"You are _not _a toy." He told her, annoyed.

"No. Oliver, I'm not." Her eyes were tired. "I'm just the girl you 'sacrificed a future with'. I'm the one who you didn't respect enough to actually ask for some input in that decision."

Something painful flared to life in his chest and he stepped forwards. His hands came out to cup her elbows, relief washing over him when she didn't push him away. "I _do _respect you, Felicity. I just, you always get _hurt _because of me and-"

"And you were trying to _protect _me." She chimed in sarcastically. "Except that I'm a grown woman, Oliver. And you've hurt me more by pushing me away. When do _I _get a say in my life, Oliver?" She paused and he could see the tears starting to gather in those beautiful blue eyes of hers. "Because it isn't fair. It's not fair that you refuse to be with me. And that you throw a temper tantrum when you think I'm with someone else. But it's okay for _you _to have a girlfriend. It's okay for _you _to sleep around. I'm supposed to grin and bear it. Even when you do it down here, in my _home_." She sniffled and wiped at a stray tear that had escaped. "It's not _fair_"

And it wasn't. Oh, God. It wasn't fair at all. He had trapped her in this horrible limbo and he hadn't even realised it. He had lashed out when Barry had taken an interest. He'd let his jealousy run rampant and had basically pissed all over the woman in front of him. And there was no excuse for the hostility that he'd been throwing around for the past month. He had chosen not to be with her, but nobody else could have her either.

He was a selfish bastard.

"I'll try harder." He told her softly. "You should be able to live your life and I know that I don't make it easy." He swallowed heavily, gripping her elbows tightly. "I won't stand in your way anymore. When you," He paused and his jaw clenched. "When you _date _I promise I'll-"

Felicity glared at him. "I don't _want _to date, Oliver. The only person I want to be with is you."

He dropped her elbows and took a step back. He shook his head and his gaze shifted to her feet. "I can't."

His eyes snapped back to her face as she tried and failed to stifle a sob. She shook her head and tears sprang free. "Then we have nothing more to talk about."

He stepped forward and reached towards her but she was already half-way up the stairs. He was frozen in place and it was several long minutes before he dropped his hand.

_Then we have nothing more to talk about._

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**So, don't hate me. I just felt like it was a good place to leave it. For now. What did you think? Thanks for reading!**


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